The Plymouth And Cornwall Cancer Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £103,717 (total expenditure 2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Quarterly trustee meetings
• Grant Range: £120-£240 (individual hardship); Up to £10,000+ (equipment/organizations)
• Geographic Focus: Cornwall and within 40 miles of Plymouth Civic Centre

Contact Details

• Website: www.plymouthandcornwallcancerfund.org.uk
• General Email: admin@pccf.org.uk
• Secretary: 01752 220587 / annepccf@blueyonder.co.uk
• Fundraising Manager: Juliet Cole - fundraising@pccf.org.uk / 07398 117001
• Chair: Sara Aspley - chair@pccf.org.uk

Overview

Founded in 1971 by the late Countess of Mount Edgcumbe, The Plymouth and Cornwall Cancer Fund is a regional charity with total income of £141,877 (2024), representing 144% growth over four years. The charity operates from Plymouth with a mission to relieve poverty, sickness and hardship among cancer patients in Cornwall and within 40 miles of Plymouth Civic Centre. They support local cancer care through a dual grant-making approach: providing hardship grants to individuals (over £12,000 distributed last year) and funding medical equipment, research, and staff development at regional healthcare facilities. Income derives primarily from two charity shops in Hyde Park and Yelverton, supported by 40 volunteers and governed by 9 trustees who meet quarterly.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Hardship Grants: £120-£240 average

• Transport costs for treatment
• Overnight accommodation near hospitals
• Subsistence costs during treatment
• Practical items (chairs, stairlifts)
• Application method: Via healthcare professional referral only, rolling basis

Equipment/Organizational Grants: Up to £10,000+

• Medical diagnostic and treatment equipment
• IT systems for cancer departments
• Small research projects (funded since 1986)
• Application method: Email/phone contact, quarterly review

Staff Development Grants: Amount varies

• Post-graduate oncology training
• Specialist nurse development
• Professional development courses
• Application method: Department-supported proposals

Staffing Support: Ongoing commitments

• Part-time Palliative Care Chaplain
• Three oncology specialist nurse positions
• Application method: Strategic partnership discussions

Priority Areas

• Relief of cancer-related financial hardship
• Local cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities
• Cancer care quality improvements
• Healthcare professional development
• Small-scale local research projects
• Patient comfort and practical support

What They Don't Fund

• Patients outside geographic area (Cornwall + 40 miles of Plymouth)
• Direct patient applications (must go through healthcare professionals)
• Large-scale research programs
• Non-cancer related conditions
• General hospital operating costs

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Governance and Leadership

Chair: Sara Aspley (Board member since 1999, former Cancer Network Director for SW Peninsula)

• "My vision is to ensure that the charity's work is recognised as a vibrant charity, contributing towards improved cancer care for those affected by cancer, throughout the region."

Vice-Chairman: Ms Sian Dennison (NHS Lead Cancer Nurse)

Honorary Secretary: Mr Peter Harker

Honorary Treasurer: Mrs Jane Bewes

Trustees: 9 total members meeting quarterly

The board brings together healthcare professionals with direct patient care experience and community leaders committed to regional cancer support.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Individual Hardship Grants (Healthcare professionals only):

• Confirmation of financial assessment
• Verification patient received all relevant entitlements
• Evidence costs are reasonable

Equipment/Organizational Grants:

• Description of request and need
• Explanation of why PCCF funding required
• Patient benefit evidence
• Departmental support confirmation
• Total cost breakdown
• Supporting documentation

No downloadable application forms available; applications handled via direct contact.

Decision Timeline

• Trustee meetings: Quarterly (specific dates not published)
• Application to decision: Varies by quarterly meeting cycle
• Notification method: Not specified

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. Recent data shows:

• Over 50 individuals received hardship grants in current year
• Over £12,000 distributed in hardship grants last year

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed. Contact secretary directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Based on PCCF's funding patterns and stated priorities:

• Healthcare professional endorsement essential: Individual hardship grants require healthcare professional application - build relationships with cancer nurses and social workers at Derriford Hospital
• Demonstrate local impact: Emphasize specific benefits to Plymouth/Cornwall cancer patients
• Show funding gap: Explain why other sources cannot meet the need
• Provide cost-benefit analysis: Equipment grants successful when showing clear patient benefit (e.g., £7,000 blood testing facility reduced waiting from 3 weeks to 3 days)
• Include patient voice: One successful applicant wrote: “You cannot have any idea of what a godsend that chair is to me”
• Align with practical needs: Focus on tangible, immediate patient support rather than abstract research
• Obtain departmental support: Equipment requests need confirmation from relevant hospital departments

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Healthcare professional gatekeepers required - patients cannot apply directly for hardship grants
• Quarterly decision cycle - time applications to align with trustee meetings
• Growing resources - 144% income growth over 4 years suggests expanding grant capacity
• Local knowledge crucial - deep regional focus means generic applications unlikely to succeed
• Low bureaucracy - simple application process compared to national funders
• Practical focus wins - emphasis on immediate, tangible patient benefits rather than long-term research
• Community-connected - leverage relationships with Derriford Hospital and regional cancer services

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation
• The Rosemere Cancer Foundation
• The Caron Keating Foundation
• The Rob George Foundation
• THE HOSPITAL SATURDAY FUND
• LINGEN DAVIES CANCER FUND CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION
• Merseyside Against Blood Cancers
• The Get A-Head Charitable Trust
• The Heinz, Anna and Carol Kroch Foundation
• Yorkshire Cancer Research

References

• The Plymouth and Cornwall Cancer Fund Official Website. www.plymouthandcornwallcancerfund.org.uk
• UK Charity Commission Register. Charity Number 262587. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/262587
• Turn2Us Grants Directory. The Plymouth Cornwall Cancer Fund. https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/grant/the-plymouth-cornwall-cancer-fund-15534
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust website and related healthcare network sources